1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices for displaying large flat objects, and, more particularly, to devices especially adapted for displaying posters.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Posters, which are generally large photographs or prints that are nearly life size, are popular with many people, especially young people, and are often displayed on the walls of a person's room. In order to display a poster on a wall, the poster must be mounted on the wall, and mounting the posters often creates problems. A number of ways are commonly employed to mount posters on walls. The use of adhesive tape, thumb tacks, staples, contact adhesive, and nails are just some common ways used for mounting posters on walls. However, each one of these ways has a common disadvantage--the risk of doing damage to the wall. Thumb tacks, staples, and nails create holes in the wall. Adhesive materials often adhere so strongly to the walls that wall coverings, such as wall paper or paint, are pulled off of the walls when a poster mounted with them is removed from a wall. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided for displaying a poster in a room which did not create holes in walls. Also, it would be desirable if a poster display device were provided which did not pull wall coverings off of walls when posters are removed.
Walls in rooms often have thin wall coverings such as wall paper and paint over wall board materials. Wall board materials often have an outer layer of paper covering inner, insulative materials. A problem associated with removal of adhesives materials from such walls, is that the removed adhesive materials often tear away some of the paper which is the outer layer of the wall board. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided for displaying a poster in a room which did not tear away any of the outer paper layer of wall board when the poster is removed or relocated in the room.
Another problem associated with conventional poster display methods is the damage that is done to the poster. Thumb tacks, staples, and nails create holes in the posters as well. In addition, the adhesives often adhere so strongly to the posters that the posters are torn or otherwise damaged when an effort is made to remove the adhesive materials. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided for displaying a poster in a room which did not make holes in the poster. Also, it would be desirable if a poster display device were employed that did not cause any form of damage to the poster when the poster is removed from its display location.
When a poster is shipped or carried from place to place, it is often rolled up and placed in a narrow diameter cylindrical container. As a result, the poster initially has a tendency to curl. When conventional means are used to display posters on walls, only an installers hands are used to overcome the poster's tendency to curl. However, the surface area of a person's hand is much smaller than the surface area of poster. As a result, the person's hand is often inadequate for helping to take the curl out of the poster. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided for displaying a poster in a room which helped remove the curl from a poster that was contained in a narrow diameter cylindrical container.
Throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to displaying posters, and the following U.S. patents are representative of some of those innovations: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,523,400; 4,936,033; 4,976,055; 5,090,143; and Des. 326,027. More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,400 a poster frame and display holder that is either installed on a wall or free standing. When a poster frame is installed on a wall, the wall undergoes damage due to the frame. When the poster frame is free standing, it undesirably takes up floor space. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided for displaying a poster in a room which did not take up floor space. The other patents mentioned above also disclose wall-mounted poster displays.
At times, to avoid damaging walls as described above, some people mount posters on doors. However, some of the problems of damaging walls are merely transformed into similar problems for doors. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided for displaying a poster in a room which employs a door for displaying the poster without subjecting the door to holes formed in the doors.
Posters are not the only items that people often display in a room. People often display relatively small photographs or small prints on walls. The photographs may be small enough to place on a desk top or a table top in a frame, but some people prefer to display them on vertical surfaces in the room anyway. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided for displaying a relatively small photograph or print in a room which did not do damage to any of the walls in the room.
Just as a person may desire to display a relatively small photograph or print on a wall in a room, the person may desire to display the photograph or print on a door for the room. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided which can display a relatively small photograph or print on a door without doing damage to the door.
Posters, photographs, and prints are decorative in their own right. However, there may be times when a person would like to add some original and personal modification to the poster, photograph, or print as a personal expression of creativity. When such is the case, it must be realized that the person may later change his/her mind as to the specific modifications that were made. If such were the case, it would be desirable if a device were provided which permitted specific personal touches to be removed or reversed without damaging an original poster, photograph, or print.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use displaying posters, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a door-mounted poster support apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) does not create holes in walls; (2) does not pull wall coverings off of walls when posters are removed; (3) does not make holes in the poster; (4) does not cause any form of damage to the poster when the poster is removed from its display location; (5) helps remove the cud from a poster that has been contained in a narrow diameter cylindrical container; (6) does not tear away any of the outer paper layer of wall board when the poster is removed or relocated in the room; (7) does not take up floor space; (8) employs a door for displaying the poster without subjecting the door to holes formed in the doors; (9) displays a relatively small photograph or print in a room and does not do damage to any of the walls in the room; (10) can display a relatively small photograph or print on a door without doing damage to the door; and (11) permits specific personal touches used to embellish a poster to be removed or reversed without damaging an original poster, photograph, or print. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique door-mounted poster support apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.